This invention relates to a device to enable the positioning of an infant, and, more particularly, to a device that can preferably be used with an infant being supported within various infant apparatus or equipment such as an infant incubator, infant warmer, bassinet or pediatric crib and the like and which device can be used to maintain the infant in a desired position. The infant positioning device, in differing sizes, can be use with preterm infants as well as full term infants.
In general, new born infants, particularity premature infants require assistance to their wellbeing and such assistance may be provided by various apparatus such an infant incubator or infant warmer. Due to the lack of development of the infant, there is a decreased muscle tone and the infant, if left totally unattended, would tend to lay in an extended position. That position is not conducive to growth of the infant and it is more advantageous to maintain the infant in a simulated fetal position to enhance the growth.
Thus, it is important to the further growth and wellbeing of the infant to provide a support for the infant that can easily maintain the infant in the desired position. Since it is known that the preferred position is a confined position where the infant is stabilized and supported in an optimum resting position that simulates the fetal position, the particular support, therefore, needs to be adaptable to provide that support to the infant. The use of such support or confinement also encourages comforting the infant and preferably enables the infant to be placed in any of a variety of positions desired by the caregiver.
At the present, there are a variety of devices that are used for the aforedescribed purpose, some of which are makeshift arrangements, such as the use of rolls of blankets, sheets or cloth diapers that are rolled up to surround or otherwise support the infant in an attempt to simulate the confines of the womb or to place the infant in some other desired position. Such makeshift devices, however, have a tendency to loosen, unroll, or just shift away from the desired position against the infant and eventually defeat the intended purpose. In addition, of course, the preferred device would be a one-piece device that is conformed to the contour of the individual infant.
There are currently commercial products that do assist in such positioning of an infant, one of which is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,371,909 of McCarty. In that patent, the infant positioning device utilizes a lead bar that is positioned interior of the device and which enables the elongated device to be bent to the desired position and retained in that position. A difficult arises, however, in that the lead bar, if bent too often, can break and the device is no longer usable for the intended purpose. In addition, the McCarty device has to be disassembled for cleaning, the lead bar removed, and then reassembled after the cleaning. It would be preferable for the device to be completely washable without such disassembly for the convenience of the nursing staff.
Further, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,832 of Bridley, there is another support for an infant however it utilizes a plurality of components adjustably positioned with respect to each other to contain the infant therebetween. Thus, the device requires more than one component and also needs a special pad on which the infant is positioned having hook and loop (Velcro) fastener strips affixed to that special pad. Thus, the Bridley device is inconvenient in that it is not readily adaptable to be used in the normal infant environment without the need to install the special pad and, of course, to insure that the hook and loop fastening devices are not covered up by other coverings within the infant enclosure or environment.
It would, therefore be advantageous for a positioning device that can surround the infant if desired, be usable in the normal infant environment, be easily configured to the particular infant and, of course, be completely safe to the infant when left in that environment where the infant is contained.